Radio Atlantic, IA – AM 1220

20 hogs killed in weekend semi rollover

November 18th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office this week, reported about 20 head of hogs were killed during a tractor-trailer rollover last Saturday evening (Nov. 12th), near the intersection of Highway 25 and White Pole Road (Hwy. 6). The accident happened at around 6-p.m., when a Freightliner semi registered to Christensen Farms, of Sleepy Eye, MN, went out of control and rolled onto its passenger side. The driver of the truck, Phillip Osborn, of Fairmont, MN, was not injured.

Officials say the accident happened when Osborn reached for a piece of pizza. As he did so, the truck went off the road onto the unfinished shoulder. The wheels on the passenger side sunk nearly a foot into the shoulder. When Osborn attempted to get the vehicle back onto the paved road, the semi swerved back across both lanes of pavement and rolled onto the highway, sliding to a stop on its side, and blocking both lanes of traffic.

Twenty hogs died in the crash, while the rest were deemed unsuitable for market. Damage to the Freightliner was estimated at $100,000. Osborn was cited for failure to maintain control of his vehicle.